Triple layer chocolate cake

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This triple layer chocolate cake is the ultimate treat for a chocoholic. Stack three rich chocolate sponges with a luxurious chocolate buttercream and top with a sprinkling of grated chocolate

Ingredients

For the cake:

150g cocoa powder

600ml boiling water

360g butter, softened

600g caster sugar

2tsp vanilla extract

6 eggs, room temperature

360g self raising flour

2tsp baking powder

½tsp bicarbonate of soda

½tsp salt

For the buttercream:

250g butter, softened

500g icing sugar, sifted

200g dark chocolate plus extra

2tsp vanilla extract

2tbsp milk

You'll also need:

3x 25cm round baking tins or 4x 20cm round baking tin

If you don't have a bain marie simply melt the chocolate over water which has just been boiled and then turned off. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water and stir until it's melted. Or you could melt the chocolate in the microwave in small short bursts

Method

Combine the boiling water with the cocoa powder and stir until smooth. Leave to cool.

Sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla then the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.

Add all of the flour, gently mix until just combined. Fold in the cooled cocoa.

Divide the mixture into the prepared cake tins and bake for 35 mins or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Loosen the edges with a knife to reduce cracking the cake as it cools and shrinks. Leave to cool for 20 mins then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the buttercream:

Melt the chocolate over a bain marie.

Cream the butter until smooth, gradually add the icing sugar and continue to cream until light and fluffy.

Add the chocolate and beat until combined. Finally add the vanilla and the milk, creaming until combined and the mixture is soft, add a little extra milk if you feel it is not a spreadable mixture.

Cut the tops off each cake and level. Using a palette knife spread a coating of buttercream onto the top of the bottom two cake layers. Sandwich the three layers together.

Spread a coating of buttercream over the top of the cake, then coat the sides. Garnish the top with grated chocolate.

Your rating

Average rating

What do you think of this recipe? Leave us your comments, twists and handy tips.

Your comments

Aya

Made this cake with gluten free flour & it turned out really well! delicious cake!

steven

I'm not a very good cook but found this really easy to make.
I didn't realise how much it would make so i ended up making two, two layer cakes with it.
My 2 year old daughter loves it has do I.

Brum mom

This cake I made for my daughter's big birthday she loved it wow she said where did you buy it . So thank you GOODTOKNOW CAKE

sharon

My goodness this cake really tested patience, so messy to make. Ive never made such a difficult cake. Found it difficult putting on the icing, and it started coming apart. But very tasty! too sticky for me though!

MAX

TERRIBLE, HARD TO FOLLOW AND DOSENT GO RIGHT AT ALL #ANYONE WHO TRIES TO MAKE THIS U ARE DUM

megans

I've tried to make this and it didn't go well at all, it went really lumpy and it didn't rise very much at all

Dawn Young

Have made this twice now and about to use it for one tier of a wedding cake...the batter is very liquid stick with it, it works out just fine. the cakes don't rise a huge amount but it is a layer cake, this cake keeps really well, the first time I made it, it kept for over a week and was still moist and tasty. It tastes amazing I didn't use the filling but used white butter icing because I like the contrast.

Liam

BUT IT WAS REALLY REALLY TASTY!!!

Liam

much cake
such time
so impatient

jjjdaaaasjssosoofeis

Bloody awful. The measurements are wrong - the batter was pure liquid, I had to save it by adding in extra flour.

jenny rice

hi when they refer to butter do they mean salted or unsalted very confused and eggs large or medium help plz want to make this cake for my husband for valentines. thank you

SR

The true secret to baking a decent cake is to first weigh the eggs with shell and then use that weight to weigh flour, sugar (or conversion to Splenda) and butter (or if you want you can always use felipo berio conversion to oil).
I have always used this method for all of my cakes and hasn't failed me yet, not even coconut cake

Lisa

Made this on Saturday for a dinner party - looks very impressive! It's very sickly I did the 4x20 cm as the other comment says ou can definitely put plenty of filling between layers as there is loads I ended up throwing some away. Made it again tonight for my husbands leaving work cake I over melted the butter in the micro for the topping and it looks a bit grainy- hoping it'll smooth out - I would rate a 4.5 as too sickly for me great recipe thanks x

Leah Moncrieff

Made this cake today. I had one egg short but still made it and it tastes fine! I could have been a bit more generous with the icing inbetween layers as I had lots left over. I would definitely recommend cutting the tops off before icing - I didn't as I didn't think the cakes had risen a lot, Now I wish I had as I have a slightly leaning cake!

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